Hickory County, Missouri Biographies--Amos M. Paxton History Of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade And Barton Counties, Missouri, 1889. Published by Goodspeed. Pages 607, 608 Amos M. Paxton was born in the county in which he now resides on the 8th of December, 1845, being a son of William and Rebecca (Shinabargar) Paxton, who were born in Washington County, Pa., April 4, 1807, and Virginia, January 2, 1811, respectively. The former died December 19, 1862, at the age of fifty-five years eight months and fifteen days; but the latter is still living (1889), and resides with her children in Hickory County. William Paxton, when a child, was taken by his parents to Ohio, where he was reared, married and made his home until 1837, in which year he removed to Cooper County, Mo., staying there until 1840, when he removed to Benton (now Hickory) County, of which he was one of the first settlers. He was a millwright by trade, and erected the first mill in the territory now comprising Hickory County. In 1852 he was elected circuit and county clerk, ex officio recorder and probate judge of the county, serving six years in succession. He was then elected public administrator, which position he held until the breaking out of the Rebellion. Although he only received a common school education in his youth, he was above the average in intelligence and business ability. At the beginning of the Civil War he was a stanch supporter of the Union, and through his influence many were persuaded to remain loyal to the Union who otherwise would doubtless have drifted into the Rebellion. Previous to the war he was a Whig in politics, and in 1860 voted for Bell and Everett. Seven of his eight children lived to maturity, and six are living at the present time. Ethan, born December 31, 1829, was second lieutenant of Company I, Eighth Missouri State Militia Volunteers, during the war; Hugh, born January 16, 1834; Nancy A., born April 13, 1838; Almina B., born April 3, 1842, wife of Samuel Dent, ex-county clerk of Hickory County; Amos M.; and Lucy D., born September 25, 1857, wife of John M. Sherman. Those deceased are: William, born April 9, 1832, who died in infancy; and W. J., born September 28, 1849, and died June 1, 1875. Amos M. Paxton, the immediate subject of this sketch, attended the common schools of Hickory County in his youth, and during the war served a short time in the Enrolled Militia, but, owing to the death of his father and the helpless condition of his mother and other members of his family, who had been burned out of house and home and robbed by Confederate marauders, he had to devote most of his time to caring for the family-mother, brother and sister. During and after the war he was engaged in tilling the soil until 1876, when he was elected to the office of assessor, and served one term. In 1879 he engaged in merchandising at Wheatland, continuing there until January 1, 1889. In November, 1888, he was elected collector of Hickory County, by the Republican party, of which he has always been a member, and is now filling the duties of that office. July 27, 1881, he was married to Mrs. Hattie Jenkins, a daughter of Joseph Culley, of Cooper County, Mo. She was born in Illinois, November 15, 1856, and her union with Mr. Paxton has been blessed with a daughter, Maud C., born June 4, 1882. Mrs. Paxton is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: K. Snow ====================================================================